Veg Out: Mexeo in Collegetown

If you trek up those crazy hills in Ithaca for a taco, it better be one hell of a taco.

Or you should at least hope to find kombucha on tap.

Mexeo delivers both. If the candy-striped walls inside are any indication, you're going to have a good time at Ithaca's foodiefied Tex-Mex joint. Fill out your order form and keep in mind a few things:

The beans and rice are not vegan. Don't freak out, though, it turns out you don't actually need them. My tofurizo and tofu mole tacos were plenty filling with onions, cilantro, and habanero salsa. Mr. Vedge's vegan mole burrito was packed with dairy-free goodness and so, as much as we love our beans, we found the tofu and veggie filling to be lighter and more enjoyable. There are other places in town that do vegan beans & rice, but they are just not half as good as Mexeo.

The habanero salsa is fantastically hot. I'm often underwhelmed by most salsa, piling it on in attempts to feel something, anything, and this stuff has a real kick. It will teach you something.

Items are mostly locally sourced.

The tofu taquitos are light and refreshing, and don't taste like junk food.

Mexeo is tiny and there are no tables, so grab your order to go and luxuriate outside.

Not one, but two flavors of BAO kombucha are on tap. The ginger flavor paired with the habanero salsa is not for the light-hearted.

Vegan Eats at Vernick Food & Drink

We're back in Ithaca this week, with some memorable new finds to tuck away for future visits. One of the highlights was a new Philly restaurant that served us a vegan meal that was thoughtful, satisfying, and sexy. Because as I tweeted a few nights ago, I could easily eat my meals at my favorite vegan restaurant in the world every night when I am in Philly...but it's always rewarding to add a new spot to the delicious list.

Vernick Food & Drink is just around the corner from our Philly base in Rittenhouse Square. With the soul-sucking heat, that's about as far as my feet wanted to travel. I'm glad we opted to try something new. It's so easy to stick to your favorite haunts, knowing that you won't be disappointed. But in a city full of new restaurant openings, we wanted to drop in on a few curious places.

Vernick's clean design and ambience proved a proper setting for food and drink that is simple and yet smart. We sat in the second floor dining room and began with a glass of rosé and a cocktail, and knew it was going to be a swell night. My camera didn't make it out that night, unfortunately, so phone photos it is...

Among the vegan choices:  Amuse of raspberry gazpacho, mustard seed oil, crispy potatoes & shishito peppers, summer squash (the spices were terrific), today's greens, roasted carrot & tomato salad w/ cornichon olive dressing (my entree, I want to drink this dressing like it's water), veggie plate for Mr. Vedge (he loved it). I wanted to try the toast and we were told that a few tweaks could be made for vegan toast, but we didn't want to disassemble anything. Maybe they'll have a veggies-only toast another time. Regardless, we left full and pleased, with every staff member that we passed on the way out smiling and thanking us for visiting, and finally, holding the door open. If Vernick Food & Drink was a man, I would have been thoroughly wooed.